Updated 1300
Malta Airport Records Best-Ever First Half with 5.2 Million Passengers: Malta International Airport recorded its strongest-ever first half of the year, welcoming 5.2 million passengers between January and June, up 15.6% on the same period in 2025. Growth was driven by expanded airline operations, new European routes and the launch of direct flights to the United States in June. Rome Fiumicino overtook London Gatwick as the airport’s busiest route after a fourth airline began operating the service. The UK remained Malta’s largest market, accounting for 20% of passenger traffic, while Poland continued to rank among the fastest-growing markets. (TVM News)
ITS Unveils Five-Year Strategy to Strengthen Tourism Education: The Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) has unveiled a five-year strategy for 2026–2030 aimed at modernising tourism education, strengthening industry collaboration and enhancing its international profile. The plan focuses on improving teaching quality, upgrading infrastructure, expanding digitalisation, and reinforcing governance and academic capacity. It also includes new specialist courses and a revised curriculum to better meet the evolving needs of Malta’s tourism and hospitality sector. The strategy builds on the Skills Pass programme while increasing partnerships with industry and expanding the institute’s international presence. Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela said the initiative supports the Malta 2050 Vision by prioritising quality, skills and higher-value tourism services, while ITS CEO Pierre Fenech said it sets ambitious but measurable goals for the years ahead. (The Malta Independent)
Authorities Issue Over 3,300 Stop-Work Orders on Construction Sites in Four Months: Malta’s authorities issued more than 3,300 stop-work orders at construction sites between February and May as enforcement intensified against illegal works and permit breaches. According to parliamentary figures, the Building and Construction Authority issued 3,001 stop-work notifications and 146 fines, while the Occupational Health and Safety Authority issued 260 stop-work orders and 98 fines. In total, works were halted 3,261 times and 244 fines were imposed over the four-month period. However, Infrastructure Minister Jonathan Attard did not disclose whether any development permits were revoked in response to the enforcement action. (The Malta Independent)
Professor Calls for Independent Probe into Prison Heat Conditions: University professor Andrew Azzopardi has called for an urgent, independent investigation into excessive heat in Malta’s prisons, warning it poses serious risks to inmates’ physical and mental health. Writing to the Health Commissioner within the Office of the Ombudsman, Azzopardi said conditions had not improved since raising the issue in 2024. He proposed a multidisciplinary inspection, continuous monitoring of temperature and humidity, heat-risk assessments for vulnerable inmates, and the introduction of national standards on ventilation, cooling, hydration and heat emergency management, with findings and recommendations published alongside an implementation timetable. (The Times of Malta)
Morning Briefing
Vince Muscat details alleged murder plot preparations in court
Convicted murderer Vince Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, continued giving evidence on Monday in the trial over the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, describing the alleged preparations leading up to the assassination. Muscat testified that weapons had been obtained, surveillance carried out on Caruana Galizia and plans made to kill her before the 2017 murder. He also claimed the explosive device used in the assassination had been brought to Malta by Jamie Vella and Robert Agius, known as Tal-Maksar, before being stored at different locations. During his testimony, Muscat alleged that George Degiorgio had told him then minister Chris Cardona was receiving information through former Assistant Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta. He also referred to an alleged €150,000 payment linked to the murder plot. Proceedings were briefly suspended before resuming with Muscat’s testimony, which is expected to continue. Those named in court have previously denied wrongdoing or the allegations made against them. (Times of Malta)
ITS unveils five-year strategy to strengthen tourism education: The Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) has launched a new five-year strategy aimed at modernising tourism education, strengthening industry links and enhancing its international reputation. Covering the period from 2026 to 2030, the strategy focuses on improving the quality of teaching, upgrading infrastructure, expanding digitalisation and reinforcing governance and academic capacity. It also provides for the introduction of new specialist courses and a revamped curriculum designed to better meet the evolving needs of Malta’s tourism and hospitality sector. The plan seeks to build on the Skills Pass programme while increasing collaboration with industry operators and expanding the institute’s international presence. Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela described investment in ITS as an investment in the future of Maltese and Gozitan tourism, saying the strategy supports the Malta 2050 Vision by placing greater emphasis on quality, skills and higher-value services. ITS chief executive Pierre Fenech said the strategy builds on the success of the previous plan while setting ambitious but measurable targets for the years ahead. (The Malta Independent)
Malta braces for scorching week as temperatures soar
Malta is set for a spell of intense summer heat this week, with temperatures expected to reach 36°C and ‘feels like’ temperatures climbing to 40°C by Sunday. According to the Meteorological Office, the hot conditions will persist from Wednesday as a high-pressure weather system known as an Omega Block settles over much of the Mediterranean, bringing prolonged dry and stable weather. While conditions will be uncomfortably hot, the Met Office said the current forecasts do not meet Malta’s official definition of a heatwave. A heatwave requires temperatures to remain at least 5°C above the July average for three consecutive days, a threshold not expected to be reached. Nevertheless, residents and visitors are being urged to take precautions during the hottest parts of the day, remain hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun as the settled weather is forecast to continue throughout the weekend.(Maltatoday)
